Stockport Council Fails Renewal Bid Against Woodford Homes Scheme 2026

Key Points

• Stockport Council is facing yet another set back in its attempt to stop Harrow Estates’ proposals for an extension of 540 homes at Woodford Garden Village.
• At the latest renewal hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice, the High Court’s decision made during the summer was upheld, dismissing the council’s attempt to challenge the approval of the application via a judicial review.
• Stockport Council now has seven days to decide whether it is taking the matter to the Court of Appeal.
• Harrow Estates, part of Barratt Redrow, was granted permission by the Planning Inspectorate for the 84-acre proposal in March 2026 because the council failed to decide the application within the statutory period.
• The scheme comprises 540 homes, 50% affordable homes, and 36 acres of public open space.
• The Planning Inspectorate ruled that the housing land supply of Stockport Council was 1.77 years, below the required five years, and that the land was Grey Belt and not Green Belt.
• The High Court rejected the council’s request for judicial review in July, stating that Mr Justice Timothy Mould found no arguable legal error in the inspector’s decision.
• The court ordered Stockport Council to pay Harrow Estates £28,000 toward their costs as part of this ruling.
• Steve Neal, planning director at Harrow Estates said, “we can get on with providing the homes and associated investment and employment opportunities”.
• Stockport Council says it is considering the High Court ruling and will make further decisions after completing the review.
• Meanwhile, other schemes for additional Woodford developments are currently being pursued including one by Russell LDP for 554 homes and one by David Wilson Homes for 450 homes.

Stockport (Manchester Mirror) November 6, 2026 — Stockport Council has failed in its latest attempt to block Harrow Estates’ 540-home extension to Woodford Garden Village, after a renewal hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice upheld the High Court’s refusal of the council’s legal challenge.

As reported by Dan Whelan of Place North West, the oral ruling means the High Court’s decision this summer to refuse Stockport Council permission to pursue a judicial review of the Planning Inspectorate’s approval has been upheld. The council now has seven days to decide whether to seek permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal.

What Has the Court Decided?

The latest hearing concerned Stockport Council’s attempt to renew its challenge to the High Court’s July decision. The court had rejected the council’s application for judicial review of the Planning Inspectorate’s decision to allow Harrow Estates’ 84-acre extension of Woodford Garden Village.

As reported by Place North West, High Court judge Timothy Mould concluded in July that the council’s submission “identifies no arguable error of law” in the inspector’s decision. The council was also ordered to pay Harrow Estates’ costs, amounting to £28,000.

The renewal hearing did not overturn that position. Instead, it upheld the High Court’s earlier refusal, leaving the developer’s planning permission intact unless Stockport Council successfully pursues a further appeal.

Why Did Stockport Challenge the Scheme?

Stockport Council sought judicial review after the Planning Inspectorate approved Harrow Estates’ proposals in March 2026. The council had failed to determine the application within the required timescale, prompting Harrow Estates to appeal on the grounds of non-determination.

The Planning Inspectorate allowed the appeal after finding that Stockport’s housing land supply stood at 1.77 years, well below the statutory target of five years. The inspector also gave “substantial overarching positive weight” to the scheme’s 36 acres of public open space.

A central issue in the case was the classification of the land. The inspector agreed with Harrow Estates that the site constituted Grey Belt rather than Green Belt, a finding that was important to the approval of the development.

What Will Be Built at Woodford?

Harrow Estates, part of Barratt Redrow, received consent for an 84-acre extension of Woodford Garden Village. The scheme will deliver 540 homes, half of which are designated as affordable.

The development also includes 36 acres of public open space. Earlier reporting by Place North West said the wider proposals included around 75 homes for older people, alongside commitments towards sports and education infrastructure.

The developer had successfully defended infrastructure contributions of £940,895 for sports and £1.5 million for education during the Planning Inspectorate process.

What Did Harrow Estates Say?

Steve Neal, planning director for Barratt Redrow’s Harrow Estates division, welcomed the latest court outcome. As reported by Place North West, he said: “I am delighted that we can now focus on delivering 540 high-quality new homes, 50% of which will be affordable, at Woodford Garden Village alongside the investment and jobs that the project will bring.”

Neal had previously said that the Planning Inspectorate’s approval followed a “comprehensive and independent process”. He said the development would provide much-needed homes, affordable housing, green space, improved sports facilities, education investment and sustainable transport improvements.

Following the July High Court ruling, Neal said the company had to wait for the conclusion of the legal process before continuing to deliver the homes.

What Did Stockport Council Say?

A spokesperson for Stockport Council said the authority is reviewing the High Court’s decision in detail and will consider the appropriate next steps once that review has been completed.

The council has not confirmed whether it will apply for permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal. Place North West reported that it has seven days to make that decision following the oral ruling.

Earlier, Councillor Jake Austin, Stockport Council’s cabinet member for housing and environment, said the council was “incredibly disappointed” by the High Court’s refusal of permission for judicial review. He said the council had applied for renewal and that an oral hearing would take place later in the year.

How Did the Planning Appeal Begin?

Harrow Estates lodged plans for the 540-home extension in December 2024. The proposals related to part of the former Woodford Aerodrome, a site owned by the developer.

Stockport Council did not determine the application by its original deadline of May 5, 2025. Harrow Estates subsequently appealed to the Planning Inspectorate on grounds of non-determination, after extensions of time agreed between the parties expired on August 15, 2025.

The council said unresolved issues with the proposals had prevented a decision. An email from Stockport Council’s planning team, uploaded to the planning portal, said the authority remained committed to progressing the application and urged Harrow not to appeal.

What Did the Planning Inspector Decide?

The Planning Inspectorate approved the scheme on March 13, 2026. The inspector found that the proposals did not constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt under national policy.

The inspector concluded that the direct benefits of the development, weighed against all other considerations, provided appropriate reasons to allow the appeal. The decision cited the borough’s housing land supply shortfall and the scheme’s public open space among the factors supporting approval.

The inspector also accepted Harrow Estates’ position that the site met the criteria for Grey Belt. The scheme was found to comply with the “golden rules” for Grey Belt development, including 50% on-site affordable provision.

What Happens Next?

Stockport Council is considering its options after the renewal hearing. It has seven days to decide whether to seek permission to take the matter to the Court of Appeal.

If the council does not pursue, or does not succeed in, a further appeal, Harrow Estates will be able to proceed with delivering the approved scheme. The developer says the project will bring 540 homes, affordable housing, public open space, investment and jobs to Woodford Garden Village.

The planning application can be viewed on Stockport Council’s planning portal using reference number DC/094533.

Background of the Development

Woodford Garden Village is being developed on part of the former Woodford Aerodrome, close to the boundary between Stockport and Cheshire and near the A555. Harrow Estates has already delivered 600 homes in an earlier phase of the wider site.

The 540-home extension was submitted in late 2024 and became the subject of a planning appeal after Stockport Council did not determine it within the statutory timeframe. The Planning Inspectorate’s approval in March 2026 followed a public inquiry process in which concerns over traffic congestion and active travel were narrowed through a statement of common ground between the council and developer.

Stockport Council’s challenge focused on the Planning Inspectorate’s decision rather than the original planning merits alone. The council argued that the approval should be overturned, but the High Court found no arguable error of law in the inspector’s reasoning.

The case forms part of a wider pattern of housing appeals in Stockport. Place North West reported that the council lost two other housing appeals in 2024 and 2025 for similar reasons, paving the way for a combined 478 homes.

Prediction: What It Means for Residents

For Stockport residents, the ruling reduces the immediate legal barriers to the delivery of 540 new homes at Woodford Garden Village. If the council does not pursue a Court of Appeal challenge, or if any further challenge fails, Harrow Estates can move towards implementing the approved development.

Residents may see increased construction activity, additional housing and pressure on local infrastructure as the scheme progresses. At the same time, the approved plans include 50% affordable housing, 36 acres of public open space and financial contributions towards sports and education.

For households seeking affordable homes, the decision could increase the supply of lower-cost housing in the area. For residents concerned about Green Belt, traffic, school places or local services, the outcome may reinforce concerns that national planning policy and housing-supply shortages can outweigh local objections when schemes reach appeal.

The council’s next decision on a potential Court of Appeal application will determine whether the legal uncertainty continues or whether the focus shifts fully to delivery of the development.